Kontaveit ends giantkiller Hsieh’s Miami Open run

Anett Kontaveit brought Hsieh Su-wei’s Miami Open run to a dramatic end with a 3-6 6-2 7-5 comeback win on Tuesday to become the first player through to the semi-finals.

After beating Japan’s world number one Naomi Osaka in the third round and 13th seed Caroline Wozniacki in the fourth, the 33-year-old Hsieh appeared to be on a roll.

The Taiwan giantkiller looked poised to add the 21st-seeded Estonian to her collection by racing to a 4-0 lead in the third set.

But Kontaveit, 10 years her junior, took a page from the Taiwanese player’s playbook and dug in.

In her third round win over Osaka, 27th seed Hsieh rallied from a set and a break down, but this time the tables were turned.

Kontaveit bravely battled back to get on level terms and, with Hsieh serving at 6-5 to force a tiebreak, moved in for the kill.

She broke the tiring Taiwanese to clinch a stirring win.

The Estonian now awaits the winner of the match between third-seeded Czech Petra Kvitova and Australian 12th seed Ashleigh Barty. (Reuters/NAN)